6 Wakefield Terrace, Bessbrook, Co.Armagh

6 Wakefield Terrace is a two-storey three-bay terraced house built around 1926 to designs by an unknown architect. It forms part of a terrace of six similar dwellings occupying a corner site at the south-east end of Charlemont Square where Fountain Street and Church Road meet in Bessbrook.

The building has a rectangular plan with painted lined cement render walling and a single-storey monopitched roof back porch to the rear. The pitched natural slate roof is finished with roll-top terracotta clay ridge tiles. Rectangular-section red brick chimneys to the north-east and south-west gables have been rebuilt in rustic red brick, each carrying three terracotta clay pots. Eaves are flush with painted timber fascia. Rainwater goods consist of metal roll-top guttering with fluted rectangular section metal downpipes to the front, and half-round guttering with original square-section cast iron downpipes featuring decorative trefoil brackets to the rear.

The principal north-west facing elevation sits set back from Church Road behind a modest paved front yard enclosed by dwarf red brick walling topped with painted hopped metal railings. A matching foot gate on circular section cast iron posts with conical caps provides access to a concrete path leading to the central entrance bay. The elevation displays a two-storey three-bay block with the door to the central bay flanked by sash windows. The painted square-headed door surround has plain rectangular-section pilasters and a moulded entablature. The four-panelled painted timber door carries brass and black iron door furniture with a square-headed fanlight and stylised black iron bat knocker incorporating a letterbox; a modern bulkhead light fitting sits above. The first-floor windows align with ground-floor openings. The upper window is diminutive and flanked by windows set within gabled dormers; all are double-hung 3/3 sliding timber sash windows with horns and reduced-height top sashes. Raised render quoins appear to the south-west.

The south-west elevation faces a tarmaced area adjacent to the Spar shop and No. 1 Lakeview. It comprises a two-storey gabled block with a rectangular-section chimney to the apex and painted lined cement render finish with raised render quoins. A vent appears near ground level; no other openings are visible. Railings and gates leading to Lakeview properties attach at the south-east.

The rear south-east elevation faces into a rear yard shared with the neighbouring terrace houses. A single-storey monopitched side-entry porch is attached to the centre bay, extending south-west, with a corrugated metal roof and smooth render finish. A painted sheeted timber door sits on the north-east side of the porch, and a single three-part top opening casement window on the south-west. First-floor windows match the front elevation pattern with a central diminutive window flanked by gabled windows. A single window appears at the south-west of the porch and two windows to the north-east. The elevation has a lined cement render finish with stone cills to the windows.

To the north-east, the building is attached to No. 5 Wakefield Terrace.

The terrace occupies a gently sloping site with Nos. 1–5 facing north-east towards Fountain Street fronted by the public footpath, and Nos. 2–5 sharing a continuous ridge line. No. 6 faces north-west onto Church Road, set back narrowly from the public footpath. Rear yards open to neighbouring dwellings and are typically enclosed by random-coursed rubble stone walling to the south-west. A section of original yard walling facing south-east has been rendered with a tall pier topped with concrete capping, adjacent to No. 1 Wakefield Terrace. The village fountain, from which Fountain Street takes its name, stands to the north-east of No. 1, built in square plan with granite ashlar and cast iron spouts to each side and a finial to top. It is surrounded by a rectangular area enclosed by dwarf granite walling topped with painted metal railings; a stone trough remains.